DOES FAUGHEEN STILL HAVE VROUM? Can Faugheen come back? Despite strong card at Cheltenham, where turn-ups are likely in the mud again, all eyes are on a dramatic Morgiana Hurdle and the comeback of former champion-hurdler Faugheen. Vroum Vroum Mag is an absentee.
SOUTHERN NATIONAL FOR TIZZARD: There’s also a tasty dish at Fontwell, where Daqman reckons a well-timed Tizzard tilt can land the Southern National. His supernap is at Cheltenham.
JEZKI VALUE OVER ODDS-ON JOLLY
2.15 Punchestown (Morgiana Hurdle) We’ve got Faugheen safely to the post after 665 days off, but we are without Ruby Walsh, who broke a leg on the eve of the former Champion Hurdle winner’s return.
Faugheen is 17lb clear on his old rating but faces young pretenders (four years younger) Campeador and Swamp Fox, who could improve any time soon.
Not to mention one of the stars of Jumping’s paradise at Cheltenham, Jezki, the Champion Hurdle winner (2014) the year before Faugheen.
At 7.8 on BETDAQ this morning about the race-fit recent winner, Jezki was massive value against the likely odds-on, ring-rusty favourite.
FERGAL FRESH FOR FONTWELL STRIKE
1.50 Cheltenham (Arkle Trophy Trial) A clash of potential stars, North Hill Harvey, who won last year’s Greatwood, and River Wylde, third in the Supreme Novices Hurdle.
That hurdle usually produces top chasers as well as hurdlers but has been quiet so far and North Hill Harvey has already won a chase over today’s CD.
2.05 Fontwell (Southern National) Sunshine on a sound surface. That’s the forecast, which is a weather warning against soft-heavy specialists which make up most of this field and could even be one in the eye for Cyclop!
David Pipe, who won this back to back (2009-10) gave us a big run from Starchitect yesterday, a neck away from winning the November Gold Cup for this column.
Pipe thinks that Rathlin Rose (8.8 BETDAQ) may need more give in the ground but he was strong in the market this morning. So, too, Fergal Mael Dun, and Cyclop, who were second and third in this race last season.
‘Fergal’ is a course specialist, who wins when fresh and today’s ground will help him get the trip, 4lb lower than a year ago: 7.0 this morning
FOX FANCIED TO HUNT UP A REPEAT
2.25 Cheltenham Chase Sprinter Sacre won this (2015) sandwiched between two Champion Chase victories.
Last year’s winner, Fox Norton, again faces Simply Ned and Special Tiara, but they were nine lengths and 18 behind him that day and both had been placed in the race previously, also without winning.
Special Tiara got his revenge at the festival, beating Fox Norton a head in the Champion Chase but is now a slowing-down 10 years old, while Fox Norton has an added year of maturity.
Sir Valentino was third, six months back, in the championship decider with Simply Ned last of the 13 to finish.
Cloudy Dream, second in Altior’s Arkle, returned to a narrow defeat in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree here weeks back, raising a spate of hype about his chances in this.
HE’S KING OF THE GREATWOOD..
3.00 Cheltenham (Greatwood Hurdle) Four and five year olds have won three each in the last seven years nut not a single favourite has scored. Not a one.
The overnight ‘jolly’, Jenkins, had given way to London Prize on BETDAQ this morning, though still edged the bookies’ market.
I reported confidence in William H Bonney in my horses-to-follow list and he is massively better off with London Prize here, and won a big handicap in January off a similar mark.
But his winning jockey, Wayne Hutchinson, rides stablemate Elgin (17.5 on BETDAQ), who defeated Mohaayed and Jenkins last Boxing Day, and looked strong when winning at Ascot earlier this month.
Then again, on a line through Man of Plenty, William H Bonney (18.5 offers) has nothing to fear from Misterton. It’s who likes the mud, so we may as well plump for a couple of outsiders. Alan King’s pair will do for me.
DAQMAN’S BETS
1.50 Cheltenham (to win 20)
BET 11pts win NORTH HILL HARVEY
2.05 Fontwell (to win 50 points )
BULL’S-EYE BET: 6.8pts win FERGAL MAEL DUIN
BULL’S-EYE BET: 6.5pts win RATHLIN ROSE
2.15 Punchestown (to win 30 points)
BET 5pts win JEZKI
2.25 Cheltenham
SUPERNAP: BET 20pts win FOX NORTON
3.00 Cheltenham (to win 30)
BET 1.8pts win and place ELGIN
BET 1.75pts win and place WILLIAM H BONNEY
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